Mark's POV
As she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes, I could hear Lana's pounding heartbeat start to come in line with the heartbeats and breathing of the pack. That was the importance of the formal part of this ceremony - the pack lived, breathed, and died together, and the body and soul of the human undergoing transition would begin to take their place in the pack even before the physical changes began.
I recited the ancient ritual which I'd memorized years ago but never in my life thought I would use. It had been a few generations since anyone I was aware of had used it. But here I was, with a human mate and an ongoing vampire situation. NOT what I had envisioned when I first caught her scent a couple of months ago.
My own heartbeat was strong and steady, the bass tone in th
